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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29188095">Permafrost</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arwriter/pseuds/Arwriter'>Arwriter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cold Weather, Drowning, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Near Death Experiences, Protective Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Roman feels guilty, That awkward moment when it takes almost freezing to death to admit your feelings for each other, They're both also insecure, Things go wrong in the Imagination</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 14:08:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,143</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29188095</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arwriter/pseuds/Arwriter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After Virgil agrees to follow Roman into the Imagination, a shift in the weather and an unfortunate misstep sends Virgil plummeting into uncharted waters. If only it didn't take a matter of life or death and a race against time to realize the Prince might not hate him after all.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>166</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“This is stupid,” Virgil said for the third time in the last ten minutes. “We’re gonna freeze to death.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was very clearly pissing Roman off, and if he wasn’t so miserable he’d be grinning like an idiot at the Prince’s clear exasperation. “We’re not going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>freeze. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Don’t be dramatic, Negative Nancy, that’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>thing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil scoffed, glancing up at the expanse of snow covered trees towering overhead, branches bare and twisted, coated in sparkling white. It felt endless, everything around them perfectly identical and a little overwhelming. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shuddered as the wind picked up again, drowning out anything he might have been about to say, and he absently shook off snow sticking to his shoes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>wishing he’d decided to wear his combat boots today. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then again, he hadn’t expected to be trapped in the Imagination in below freezing weather. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me complain, Princey,” he said, hoping that their familiar banter could make this whole thing suck a little bit less. “You’re the one that trapped me in here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You’re </span>
  </em>
  <span>the one that agreed to follow me,” Roman shot back, a little more sharp than Virgil had been hoping for. “You didn’t have to.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You </span>
  <em>
    <span>invited </span>
  </em>
  <span>me. And someone has to make sure you don’t get killed in here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m perfectly capable,” Roman said. “The cold is no match for a dashing Prince! Besides, the beast is dead, my realm is perfectly safe when I need it to be- if it weren’t for </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone </span>
  </em>
  <span>refusing to enjoy the scenery, this might actually be a nice walk.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>freezing </span>
  </em>
  <span>and we have to walk for another </span>
  <em>
    <span>hour,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Virgil argued. “How the hell am I supposed to enjoy this?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It hadn’t been snowing when they’d first stepped into the Imagination, some two hours ago now. It had been warm and sunny, the world around them lush and green, bright and inviting as Virgil followed Roman on his apparently routine adventure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hoped it hadn’t been obvious how excited he’d been when Roman had asked him to come along. He and the Prince had never been close, (that was putting it lightly, Virgil was all too aware of how much Roman hated Anxiety) but ever since Virgil had revealed his name things had been...better. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not great, nowhere near perfect, but better. Their fights had started to devolve into banter, and Virgil found he actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>enjoyed </span>
  </em>
  <span>talking to Roman now. He wasn’t reduced to a villain anymore, and he’d never actually realized just how much he hated the tight feeling in his chest when Thomas had always dismissed him as the bad guy. He’d been pushing the hurt down for so long and now…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now wasn’t the time to think about it. Now was the time to focus on moving forward, as shaky as the progress was sometimes. It was still progress. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil knew Roman didn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>like </span>
  </em>
  <span>him, and he probably had no intention of even being real friends, any effort to be polite for Patton and Logan’s sake only. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which Virgil might have been able to live with, if he hadn’t recently figured out that he really, </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>liked Roman.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d sort of...not actually hated the Prince for a while now, just another hopeless, gnawing feeling that drove him to consider ducking out in the first place. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The feelings had come out of nowhere, slowly sneaking up on him and only growing now that they were closer, and he still wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The things Roman did that Virgil had once thought were annoying became...begrudgingly endearing. His rants, his dramatic gestures, the constant singing and humming under his breath...it was all so </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupidly </span>
  </em>
  <span>charming. Roman was funny and kind and passionate and brave and...and Virgil might have developed a little bit of a crush. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Dammit. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew nothing would come from it. He could be pretty stupid, but he wasn’t stupid enough to think otherwise. Roman had declared him an enemy since day one, and Virgil was just beginning to hope the Prince might actually tolerate him enough to call him a friend. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Just </span>
  </em>
  <span>a friend.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Roman had </span>
  <em>
    <span>invited </span>
  </em>
  <span>him into the Imagination today, to be an extra set of eyes while he slayed the monster patrolling the realm, and Virgil had agreed without a second thought. If he and Roman could just learn to coexist...Virgil didn’t need anything else. Anything was better than being hated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And having Roman as a friend was far from the worst thing in the world. It still gave him the Prince’s smiles, his laughs, and his company. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That being said, trudging through the snow and freezing his ass off for the next hour was not how he’d like to be spending the day. Why couldn’t Princey invite him to do something </span>
  <em>
    <span>normal </span>
  </em>
  <span>like watching a movie? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Aren’t you supposed to be Creativity?” Virgil called over the wind picking up. </span>
  <em>
    <span>God, </span>
  </em>
  <span>it was cold. “Why can’t you just change the weather back?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman had his back to him, keeping a few paces ahead, but Virgil could practically </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel </span>
  </em>
  <span>his eye roll. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“I </span>
  </em>
  <span>don’t control the weather here. Thomas does.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Thomas?” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not intentionally,” Roman said. “When it’s snowing like this, it probably means he’s worried or…or stressed about something.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil didn’t miss the slight hesitation, the way Roman glanced back at him, and he instinctively hunched his shoulders and pulled his hood tighter around himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t his </span>
  <em>
    <span>fault. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He knew everyone liked to point fingers and place the blame on Anxiety whenever Thomas wasn’t feeling his best, but Virgil wasn’t here to </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt </span>
  </em>
  <span>him. He just wanted to </span>
  <em>
    <span>help, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he’d been trying so hard to be better lately, but he </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> managed to be the bad guy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opened his mouth to mutter an apology the Prince would probably only scoff at, but Roman beat him to it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ignore that,” he said quickly, tone suddenly nowhere near his usual bravado. “I didn’t mean to imply...nevermind. Sorry.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was clearly forced and a little desperate, just like it had been in front of the others whenever Roman would catch himself on an insult or a nickname, but Virgil found he appreciated the effort all the same. As awkward as it was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” Virgil said. “Seriously, it’s whatever. I’ll...I can check on Thomas when we get back.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman didn’t respond, but he did look over once again to flash Virgil a genuine smile, and he forcibly pushed down the butterflies rising up in his chest. It was just Roman. He was not about to get flustered because Roman had smiled at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But maybe it was a sign that they were getting somewhere. Maybe-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Shit!” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil froze, Roman’s curse almost drowned out by the sudden </span>
  <em>
    <span>CRACK </span>
  </em>
  <span>that echoed through the snowy forest. A chunk of ice broke under Roman’s boot, just big enough for him to stumble, his leg disappearing up to his knee. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“God </span>
  <em>
    <span>dammit </span>
  </em>
  <span>that’s freezing!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought the cold didn’t bother you,” Virgil teased before he could stop himself. He moved to help, only for Roman to hold out a warning hand. “You ok?” </span>
</p>
<p><span>“I’m </span><em><span>fine.” </span></em><span>The Prince wobbled a bit before he managed to pull his leg up and out of the ice, the soaked and dripping cloth clinging to his skin. “Except that my leg</span> <span>is going to fall off!” </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>imagine </span>
  </em>
  <span>how cold that must be, to feel icy cold wind against soaked clothes, but he could recognize that Roman wasn’t actually hurt or scared, despite the way he’d started shivering a bit. Thank god the water was only up to his knee. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop panicking,” Virgil said, and smirked despite his own rising worry. “That’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing, Princey.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman scoffed and shook out his leg, drops of water seeping into the plush white snow. The ice they hadn’t even realized they’d been walking on creaked under the movement and Virgil paled, eyes flying to Roman who quickly noticed the anxious side’s distress. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Relax,” the Prince said. “It was just a weak spot, and it’s only a couple inches deep. I could reach the bottom.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should still be worried about getting our clothes wet in this weather.” It seemed to have gotten colder, even as Virgil remained perfectly dry. “Didn’t Logan do a whole lecture about hypothermia a few years ago?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re not getting </span>
  <em>
    <span>hypothermia, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Panic at the Everywhere. Logan gives a lecture on everything. Worst case scenario is I come down with a little cold, and our dear Patton feels guilty and smothers me for a few days.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil laughed, carefully stepping around the hole Roman had created. “I’m pretty sure it’s not Patton’s fault you’re so clumsy.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, but he practically forced me to bring you out here.” And just like that Virgil’s good mood was gone, stomach twisting uncomfortably as the words set in. </span>
</p>
<p><span>It shouldn’t be a surprise- of course</span> <span>Roman wouldn’t </span><em><span>voluntarily</span></em><span> spend the day with him. Patton wanted everyone to get along for Thomas’s sake, and he’d made Roman drag Virgil along like an unwanted nuisance. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So if we look miserable enough when we get back, we can coax Pat into making us cookies and hot chocolate,” Roman said, and he didn’t seem to notice Virgil’s shift in mood. “Just try to watch your step, ok?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman clearly didn’t think he had said anything wrong, only scowling at his now soaking wet pant leg before turning to continue forward. He obviously thought Virgil </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>this, that he wasn’t stupid enough to think he was actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, at least Roman was giving him the benefit of the doubt. Even if Virgil apparently </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>that stupid. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They kept walking, Virgil ending up trailing a bit behind with slightly numb hands stuffed deep into his hoodie pockets. Roman managed to make it even farther ahead, humming some vaguely familiar tune as he watched the snowfall, and Virgil wondered if he should just let the Prince make the rest of the walk by himself, kind of wanting to just lay down and let the snow bury him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The wind was picking up, and Virgil was clearly finding it more difficult to trek through the snow than Roman was. The Prince didn’t seem inclined to leave him behind though, slowing down and smiling patiently at the anxious side every few moments, letting him catch up on his own time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wondered why Roman didn’t just quicken his pace and leave him behind. It wasn’t like Virgil would go tell Patton just to get him in trouble. As much as it hurt knowing Roman wanted nothing to do with him, that someone had to </span>
  <em>
    <span>make </span>
  </em>
  <span>Roman spend time with him, it hurt worse to think that the Prince had just been faking it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d thought...God, he’d actually thought they might be getting somewhere. That maybe, </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe </span>
  </em>
  <span>Virgil’s feelings for the Prince weren’t as pointless as they’d once been. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The soft little smiles sent his way, the light touches on Virgil’s back or shoulder, the quiet jokes meant just for him, the way Roman’s eyes would linger for just a </span>
  <em>
    <span>second…</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He noticed it a second too late, caught up in his own head instead of paying careful attention to where he was stepping like he usually would, only pulled from his thoughts by another ear splitting crack as a piece of ice gave way right where he’d stepped down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was sudden and loud, and Virgil yelped when he stumbled and fell to the ground, hands losing feeling completely as they grabbed at the snow and his foot disappeared under the ice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck- </span>
  <em>
    <span>Roman!” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He heard Roman laugh, but it was almost impossible to make out over the howling of the wind and the pounding of his own heart. The water was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>cold, </span>
  </em>
  <span>(thank god he’d managed to stop himself before it went past his shin) like a million little knives dancing along his skin, paying no mind to what little protection his clothes offered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re fine,” Roman called, voice small and distant like he’d kept walking. Virgil didn’t dare look up, eyes on the ground beneath his hands. “It’s not deep, Virge, you can stand up.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil nodded even though he doubted Roman could see it, his voice refusing to cooperate. He squeezed numb hands into shaky fists, took a breath, and pushed himself up to stand on his free leg. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next moment happened so fast, Virgil didn’t even register that more ice had broken under his weight until he felt himself falling, and suddenly the icy cold water was </span>
  <em>
    <span>much </span>
  </em>
  <span>higher than just his leg. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It felt like he’d been hit by a bus- a very, </span>
  <em>
    <span>very cold </span>
  </em>
  <span>bus- and Virgil gasped as all the ice below him gave way, the water rising up to his chest, wrapping around his body like a vice and yanking him forward without warning. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was like hundreds of frozen hands were grabbing at him and tugging viciously, shoving him along with the water’s surprisingly violent current while trying to drag him down below the dark surface. Virgil barely had half a second to force his arms to move, frantically reaching for the nearest chunk of intact ice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t feel his fingers, and his hands were shaking so bad he almost didn’t make it, but he managed to get a grip on the edge just in time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He gasped as he pulled himself to a sudden stop against the relentless current, weakening arms protesting the sudden strain, choking and coughing on the frigid water that managed to lap at the corners of his mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Princey!” he tried to scream, but he could barely hear </span>
  <em>
    <span>himself </span>
  </em>
  <span>over the roar of the river. The water </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the cold seeping into his skin and stealing his breath, and it took all of his quickly fleeting energy to keep holding on. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Roman!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no response, at least not one that Virgil could hear, and he couldn’t bring himself to lift his head to see if help was coming, terrified that if he looked away from his hands he’d forget how to hold on. </span>
</p>
<p><span>He had to strain to keep his head above water, and he felt like there were boulders in his pockets weighing him down. He was left kicking desperately against the water, because it was </span><em><span>definitely</span></em><span> not</span> <span>shallow enough for him to stand. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Roman had said it was. Roman had </span>
  <em>
    <span>laughed </span>
  </em>
  <span>and kept walking and he’d...he hadn’t...he hadn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>left, </span>
  </em>
  <span>had he? If he’d done this on </span>
  <em>
    <span>purpose-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dread and fear that came with the thought was almost more overwhelming than the thought of drowning, and Virgil squeezed his eyes shut as he tightened his hold, because Roman wouldn’t do that. He may not </span>
  <em>
    <span>like </span>
  </em>
  <span>Virgil, but he wasn’t cruel. He wouldn’t...he </span>
  <em>
    <span>wouldn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>do this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A grim voice in the back of his head told him Roman wouldn’t care, that Virgil would never be worth worrying about. Maybe it wasn’t the wind and rushing water blocking out the Prince’s voice...maybe he’d really just already walked away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He choked back tears and put all his fading focus into staying above the water, the current’s pull growing stronger as his kicking became weaker and weaker. He couldn’t keep holding on. It was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>cold </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Virgil!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Roman? </span>
  </em>
  <span>It was so hard to tell for sure, everything distant and hazy compared to the roaring in his ears and his own too shallow breaths. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh god, he couldn’t hold on, he was slipping, he was going to </span>
  <em>
    <span>fall-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Virgil! Hold on, I’m coming!” Either that was Roman, or Virgil’s brain was being </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>cruel to him right before he died. The latter honestly seemed more likely. “Hold on, please just- I’m coming just hold on!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t feel his hands, barely able to comprehend anything around the all consuming </span>
  <em>
    <span>pain </span>
  </em>
  <span>settled around him like a blanket, leaving him shaking and numb, teeth chattering in his skull louder than a gunshot and he couldn’t do this- he couldn’t hold on he </span>
  <em>
    <span>couldn’t-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Virgil!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil didn’t even register what had happened, left only to wonder why the strain on his arms had suddenly been lessened for a single blissful second before realizing his frozen hands had slipped from the ice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There wasn’t time to take another breath, the river seizing its opportunity to rise above his head and push him under the dark and freezing water, everything suddenly horribly silent. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I tried very hard to make this chapter accurate so if some of it is wrong no it isn't &lt;3</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Roman knew his role, and he played it well. He was the hero, charging into battle and adventures without a second thought, smiling in the face of bloodthirsty beasts with his sword at his side. Princes weren’t cowards. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But when Virgil lost his grip and went under, Roman had never been so scared in his entire life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Virgil!” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p><span>He’d been </span><em><span>so</span></em> <em><span>close, </span></em><span>finally dropping to his knees on the unsteady ice and desperately reaching out, fingers just brushing freezing cold skin when the current took advantage of Virgil’s rapidly waning strength and pulled him under. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Roman’s own scream, hollow and empty and </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrified, </span>
  </em>
  <span>echoed right back at him, thrown in his face to remind him that he’d been too </span>
  <em>
    <span>slow- </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pushed his own thoughts aside (he could blame himself later. God why hadn’t he been </span>
  <em>
    <span>faster?) </span>
  </em>
  <span>and plunged his arm into the water until he was shoulder deep, hissing against the sudden sting of the cold. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Roman didn’t have the place to complain, not when Virgil had just been completely submerged right in front of him. </span>
</p>
<p><span>It had all happened so fast, Roman reaching into the violent river less than a second after Virgil disappeared, so maybe- </span><em><span>maybe </span></em><span>there was still enough time. </span><em><span>Please</span></em> <em><span>please please let him be fast enough-</span></em></p>
<p>
  <span>His fingers found something soft and solid, just barely managing to grab onto what he was almost positive was Virgil’s hoodie </span>
  <em>
    <span>(please please let it be Virgil’s hoodie)</span>
  </em>
  <span> before it was swept away completely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was almost yanked into the water himself by the force of the current, the river fighting relentlessly to pry Virgil away, and Roman felt a sudden rush of irrational anger. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t sure where it came from, something defiant and protective that wrapped around his chest- something that went deeper than his desire to be someone’s hero. Because he was Creativity, and this was </span>
  <em>
    <span>his </span>
  </em>
  <span>realm. It didn’t get to take anything from him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It didn’t get to take Virgil. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman reared back, mind almost blank as he fought against the water and pulled Virgil back towards the surface, heart skipping a beat when he finally caught a glimpse of purple hair floating in the freezing water. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hadn’t lost him. He was ok, he would be ok, Roman would make sure of it. Virgil was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>going to die because Roman had been a little too eager to spend time with the recently accepted side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He moved closer to the edge, forcing himself to ignore the way the already unstable ice creaked dangerously, letting out a sky breath when he was able to get two hands hooked under Virgil's shoulders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was only then, pulling against the weight of the water trying to drag them both down, that he realized Virgil wasn’t fighting back. He was perfectly still, no more kicking or struggling as the current kept him under. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No. </span>
  </em>
  <span>No no </span>
  <em>
    <span>no. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He wasn’t too late. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>too late. Virgil would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman honestly wasn’t sure how he managed to gain the upper hand in his fight with the current. It was strength he doubted he could have harnessed under any other circumstance, a sudden rush of adrenaline he imagined Thomas got from Virgil sometimes right before rushing on stage and pouring his heart out in front of an audience. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe it was the last of Virgil’s strength bleeding into Roman’s determination, a last desperate attempt to help save his own life. The two of them had always been a good team, even if they hadn’t realized it sooner. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil finally broke the surface, Romans’s arms wrapped firmly around his chest as he dragged him onto the ice, terrified he would lose his grip and let Virgil slip through his hands when they were so close to being safe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was no gasp for air, no coughing or sputtering as he choked and spat out water. Virgil was out of the river, but he was still unmoving and silent, lips and fingertips tinged an alarming shade of blue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But that was ok. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>ok! </span>
  </em>
  <span>(It </span>
  <em>
    <span>wasn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> ok- it was the </span>
  <em>
    <span>farthest</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing from ok.) The ice creaked again, shifting a bit under the added weight, and Roman forced himself to move before he got them both killed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re ok,” Roman said, despite Virgil remaining limp and unresponsive as he carefully scooped the anxious side up off the ground. He had to do something to fill the suffocating silence. “You’re ok, you’re fine. I’ve got you. You’re ok.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ice was definitely unsteady as Roman brought them back to the surrounding snow, but it thankfully didn’t crack or give way any further. Apparently Virgil had managed to find the most unstable chunk in what could easily be the deepest part of the lake.</span>
</p>
<p><span>And Roman had </span><em><span>kept</span></em> <em><span>walking. </span></em><span>Roman had teased and waved off his panic. And then when he realized what had happened, when he’d heard the genuine terror in Virgil’s voice, it had already been too late. He’d been too far away.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>But Virgil was in his arms now. Virgil was...he was limp against Roman’s chest, river water leaking from his mouth, and he wasn’t breathing. He wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathing. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pushed down his panic, even as his head spun and his hands shook from more than just the cold, carefully setting Virgil down in the snow against the nearest tree trunk, the bare twisted branches offering a bit of shelter from the snowfall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil was horribly pale, even more than usual, and Roman hated how he blended in with the ground, everything a startling shade of white save for the heavy tint of blue his lips had gained. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman reached forward with shaking hands, holding his breath as he pressed two fingers against the ice cold skin below Virgil’s jaw, searching frantically for a pulse while his eyes welled up with tears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was nothing there. There was </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Virgil didn’t have a pulse, and Roman wanted to sob. “Hang on,” he whispered to no one, because he wasn’t sure what to say when his friend looked like a </span>
  <em>
    <span>corpse. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Just hang on, Virge.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he could stare too long and spiral into worry, because Virgil’s face should </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>look so lifeless, Roman squeezed his eyes shut and forced himself to try and recall what Logan taught them to do in a situation like this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been years ago, and Roman had decided the lesson was boring, unnecessary, and not worth his attention. And of course, now it was a matter of life and death, and he was struggling to remember a word Logan had said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been Virgil’s idea for Logan to teach them all how to perform CPR. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You never know what could happen. It’s just better to be prepared.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>He’d insisted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Back then, Roman had chalked it up to Anxiety just trying to ruin their fun and keep everyone paranoid for his own twisted amusement. He really made himself sick sometimes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> If Virgil was awake right now, he would be rolling his eyes and teasing him for being such a stubborn idiot. Virgil had always just been trying to </span>
  <em>
    <span>help. </span>
  </em>
  <span>To keep them all </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe. </span>
  </em>
  <span>And Roman had always responded with suspicion and hostility. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he wasn’t awake, and if Roman didn’t remember this stupid lecture Logan had given, he might never wake up again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman racked his brain as hard as he could, his eyes squeezed shut as he fought to picture Logan’s voice. After pulling someone from the water you have to…you have to move them…on their back! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman rushed to move Virgil so he was laying down, working quickly yet handling the anxious side as if he were made of glass. He slowly and carefully placed him flat on his back, making sure he didn’t hit his head on the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ok, first step finished. Roman closed his eyes again as he reached into his memory for what to do next. He had to put his hands- no, his palms- on Virgil’s stomach. His stomach? No, it was...it was...his chest? His chest! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman wished more than anything Virgil was over his shoulder, gently poking fun at the Prince’s scrambled thoughts. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he wasn’t, and Roman unzipped the soaking wet hoodie to place his hands on Virgil’s chest, one hand crossed over the other, mirroring the way he remembered Logan had positioned his own hands on the practice dummy he’d made Roman conjure.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, all he had to do was push down to the beat of </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘Stayin’ Alive’</span>
  </em>
  <span>, just like The Office taught him, and then move to tilt Virgil’s head back, pinch his nose closed, and breathe for him until the anxious side’s chest could rise on its own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman wasted no time starting the motions. He hummed the tune under his breath to keep the rhythm, quickly deciding that once this was over he would never be able to hear that song again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But that didn’t matter right now. Right now he just needed Virgil to </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But...but he wasn’t. Roman lost track of how many times he pressed down on Virgil’s chest, how many times he repeated that song over and over in his head, the compressions getting a little bit more desperate every time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> He lost count of how many times he leaned over his friend to send a breath rattling down his throat, trembling and lightheaded as he touched Virgil’s frigid skin, only able to silently hope his lungs would get the message and bring him back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on, Virgil,” he found himself pleading, vision obscured by gathering tears. “Come </span>
  <em>
    <span>on, </span>
  </em>
  <span>wake up! You can do it, I know you can do it. Just come back, ok? You’re gonna be ok, just </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Please, Virgil </span>
  <em>
    <span>please. </span>
  </em>
  <span>We...</span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>can’t lose you! You have to wake up!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was he doing something wrong? Had he just been too late? Too slow? Too </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid? </span>
  </em>
  <span>If it was anyone else, Vigil would have already been awake by now, conscious and breathing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>...If it were anyone else, Virgil wouldn’t have fallen in the lake at all. Virgil wouldn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>be </span>
  </em>
  <span>here. He’d be warm and safe in someone else’s arms and Roman wouldn’t be kneeling in the snow, begging him to open his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He needed Virgil to wake up. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>needed </span>
  </em>
  <span>him. It had taken him so long to see it, pushing it down and covering it up with insults and nicknames and denial, but now...now Roman didn’t think he could handle losing Virgil. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t lose Virgil’s voice, his smile, the way the whole </span>
  <em>
    <span>world</span>
  </em>
  <span> seemed brighter when Roman got the anxious side to laugh. Virgil was kind and sharp and funny, and he cared so </span>
  <em>
    <span>much. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He was...he was perfect, and Roman--</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil suddenly jolted under his hands, making a horrible sound that was somewhere between a gasp and a cough, eyes flying open in panic as he fought and struggled for air he couldn’t get. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman’s cry of relief came out as something closer to a sob, but he couldn’t find it in him to care, scrambling off of Virgil and not bothering to wipe the tears from his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Prince thankfully had the sense to turn Virgil on his side to keep him from choking, wincing at the string of wet coughs and hacking coming from the soaked figure in the snow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It sounded horrible, Virgil’s breaths coming in strangled wheezes as he coughed and spewed up what looked like half the river, but right now it was the most beautiful noise Roman had ever heard. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>imagine </span>
  </em>
  <span>how much pain the other side was in right now, every breath an agonized and confused fight for air, but it at least meant Virgil was </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re ok,” Roman said, voice still unsteady and raw from crying. “Hey, you’re ok, you’re alright. Just let it out, you’re doing great.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil was obviously too busy throwing up water to respond, and Roman suddenly had no idea what he was supposed to do. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here,” he offered, tentatively scooting closer, terrified he would just make everything worse. “You’re ok, Virgil. It’s ok.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He carefully placed a hand on Virgil’s back, rubbing small circles in between his shoulder blades. The hoodie was just as soaked as the rest of him, heavy and cold and probably clinging to his skin. It was impossible not to notice how hard Virgil was shaking, teeth chattering so much Roman could hear it over the wind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gosh, Virgil must be </span>
  <em>
    <span>freezing. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“R- Ro...R-</span>
  <em>
    <span>Roman.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>He coughed again, and Roman wrapped an arm around him to keep Virgil from falling flat on his face. “R-</span>
  <em>
    <span>Roman--”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh, I’ve got you.” He pulled Virgil back to lean against his chest, frowning at how the hoodie still dripped with icy water. “I’m gonna help you, ok? We’re gonna get you warmed up.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman moved to take the lapels of the hoodie, gently trying to slide it off the shivering side, tearing up again when Virgil made a noise of protest, scared and small. He tried to cling onto the garment, but his hands were too unsteady to get a good grip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Roman said. “But the hoodie’s soaked, Virge. It’s just making things worse, I need to get it off.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Either Virgil understood and stopped fighting, or he didn’t have the strength to struggle anymore, but he dropped his arms and leaned even more into the Prince’s side. He just hoped Virgil recognized Roman was trying to help. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hoodie wasn’t easy to get off, the cloth clinging to Virgil’s bare arms, the anxious side whimpering when the wind hit his skin. “P-please, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please</span>
  </em>
  <span> d-don’t...</span>
  <em>
    <span>Roman--” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know.” God, Virgil was barely able to get his words out through his own chattering teeth. “I know it’s cold, but just hang in there. Please.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman wasted no time once the hoodie was off. He quickly laid it out beside them on the snow, hoping the wind would at least do something to dry it off, and repositioned himself slightly, one hand still wrapped carefully around Virgil’s chest. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He detached his red sash first, tossing it carelessly into the snow and vowing not to leave it, or the hoodie, behind. It took a few seconds, Virgil still leaned heavily up against him, but Roman managed to shrug off his white jacket, shuddering when that left him in just a black t-shirt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>freezing, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the ruthless wind like a flurry of knives against his skin, but Roman forced himself to grit his teeth and ignore it. If </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span>was cold, he couldn’t imagine how it must feel to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>soaking wet. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Virgil was probably aching and bruised from the compressions…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here,” Roman said, heart dropping at the fear and confusion in Virgil’s cloudy eyes. “Put this on, alright? You’re gonna be ok.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil made another quiet, indecipherable noise but didn’t protest when Roman draped the jacket over his shoulders, and the prince was able to help guide his hands through the slightly too big sleeves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Any other time, under any other circumstances, Roman imagined seeing the anxious side wearing the prince’s jacket would be something that would leave them both smiling like idiots, Roman left trying in vain to hide his rising blush. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, it was just a desperate act to keep Virgil </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman wrapped his arms around him and pulled Virgil close to his chest, desperate to offer as much warmth as he could, the shivering from the other side still beyond alarming. At least his lips and fingertips no longer held that terrifying shade of blue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shut his eyes for a moment, dropping his forehead to rest against Virgil’s soaking wet hair, trying to figure out what on earth he was supposed to </span>
  <em>
    <span>do. </span>
  </em>
  <span>They needed to move, to get Virgil back home safe as soon as possible, but it was still another forty minutes or so to the Imagination door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He never should have brought Virgil so far out, not with how unpredictable his realm could be. Roman had just...wanted an excuse to spend more time with the anxious side. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d wanted Virgil to see him be the hero. For once, he’d wanted to be the hero in Virgil’s eyes, not just Thomas’s. He’d been so </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They couldn’t stay here, not while the snow continued to fall and the wind showed no sign of stopping. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d carry Virgil the entire way if he had to, he knew that for sure. But the longer the storm kept up, the temperature slowly but surely dropping further, the more it was looking like he’d have to. They couldn’t afford to move slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t know what he’d been silently hoping for. Maybe for the weather to become warm again, or for Virgil to magically get better, to sit up with his skin back to its normal paleness and make a snarky comment about Roman worrying too much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Jeez, are you trying to steal my job, Princey?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he’d ask, smirking when Roman sputtered and blushed under the accusation. God, he’d give anything to have Virgil back to normal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But the sky wasn't clear, Virgil’s declining health only seemed to be getting worse, and Roman knew that the longer he waited, the worse it would only get. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, we need to keep moving,” Roman said, hoping Virgil could understand him. “You still with me? I’m gonna pick you up, alright?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt Virgil cough again, still a broken rattling sound that sent dread clawing up Roman’s throat, and he watched the anxious side reach up to grab at the material of the jacket wrapped around him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“M’ here,” he said, and he was clearly trying so </span>
  <em>
    <span>hard </span>
  </em>
  <span>to speak clearly. “I- I can...I c-can walk.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let me help you,” Roman insisted, even as his heart swelled with pride. He wondered if Virgil recognized his own bravery. “We’ll be home soon.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He carefully maneuvered one of Virgil’s arms over his shoulder and counted to three under his breath before slowly lifting the anxious side off the ground. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He froze immediately when Virgil let out a strangled gasp, broken up immediately by ragged coughs, his shivering body going tense as his free hand flew to his stomach, trying to wrap his arm around himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“F-fuck,” Virgil hissed when he had his breath back, and Roman eased them both back into the snow when his knees started to buckle. “Ow, ow, </span>
  <em>
    <span>ow, </span>
  </em>
  <span>what...Ro-Roman--” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here,” Roman said. “I’m right here, Virgil. What hurts?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“R-r-ribs, and- and I...I don’t...what’re we--?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shoot, uh...I think I did that.” Oh god, he’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt </span>
  </em>
  <span>Virgil. He’d really messed up everything today, hadn’t he? “I had to give you CPR.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You...I- I don’t- </span>
  <em>
    <span>why?” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You fell in the river,” Roman explained, trying not to panic at Virgil’s sudden memory loss. That was normal, right? He was just a little confused, no reason to freak out yet. “Remember? I think the cold really got to you and- and I’m...I’m really sorry. God, I’m so sorry Virgil. I tried to get to you but--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y-you-” Another cough, just as terrifying as all the others. “-you pulled m-me up?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman frowned, hating the bewildered confusion in Virgil’s voice. “I did. Of course I did. But you...you weren’t breathing and I couldn’t find a pulse and I...I thought you were...I thought--” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I- I’m f-fine,” Virgil rasped, dangerously pale and shivering and the </span>
  <em>
    <span>farthest</span>
  </em>
  <span> thing from fine. “Y-you...you really are my hero huh, P-Princey?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was like something curled around Roman’s chest, squeezing at his heart so suddenly he felt a little lightheaded. Virgil’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>hero. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He wanted so badly to believe that. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he couldn’t- not when Virgil was trembling in his arms and struggling to form a single sentence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m getting you home,” Roman vowed, holding the anxious side just a little bit tighter. “I promise you that. Just...let me carry you. Please.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil slumped, his shaky grip growing almost desperate- despite still being painfully weak- but he nodded against Roman’s chest. “It’s...it’ s-so </span>
  <em>
    <span>cold.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman didn’t know how much time had passed since he had put his own jacket on Virgil, but while it hadn’t seemed to do much to improve Virgil’s condition, the lack of protection was </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely </span>
  </em>
  <span>getting to Roman.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He found he didn’t mind though, not when Virgil was awake and breathing, aware enough to talk just a little. But he knew it was only a matter of time until their luck ran out.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman carefully repositioned the anxious side still curled in his arms so he could better hold him in a bridal carry, shushing him gently when Virgil made a pained sound as the Prince stood, stumbling slightly in the thick snow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know,” Roman said, barely audible over the howling wind. “Just hang in there, Stormcloud. We’ll be home before you know it. We’re so close, Virgil.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He started forward again, hoping Virgil wasn’t aware enough to catch on to Roman’s own rising anxiety. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the ridiculous wait aaa-</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Virgil was pretty sure he was dying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The thought didn’t bring nearly as much anxiety as it probably should, considering just the </span>
  <em>
    <span>thought</span>
  </em>
  <span> of a slow death was usually enough to send him spiraling into panic. Or a quick death. Or death in general, really. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was kind of his job to be scared of the concept of death. </span>
</p>
<p><span>Virgil didn’t even remember</span> <span>falling in the lake, everything since stepping into the Imagination with Roman a bit of a blur, though it wasn’t hard to put the pieces together when the Prince offered a frantic explanation of why Virgil was freezing and soaking wet, and why it felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to each one of his ribs. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>He’d never been so cold, too weak to cry out when his shivering felt like it would shatter every one of his bones, the chattering of his teeth the only thing louder than his own heartbeat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His hoodie had been pulled off of him, the absolutely soaked material having clung uncomfortably to his skin until Roman pried it away, and there was a sinking feeling in his stomach that came with the loss of the familiar comfort item.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least his arms weren’t completely bare against the assault of the wind. Roman’s pristine white jacket was wrapped around his shoulders, soaked only at the sleeves, and it was at least-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wait a minute, </span>
  <em>
    <span>what?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil was moving before he could even really register what he was doing, everything that had been gradually floating back now hitting all at once like a freight train, conscious thought slamming him back down into the present. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was in Roman’s arms- </span>
  <em>
    <span>when had Roman even picked him up?- </span>
  </em>
  <span>and the Prince was in </span>
  <em>
    <span>short sleeves. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It was freezing, the wind and snow beating against them, and Roman had given Virgil his only protective layer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Woah woah woah.” Roman was saying, stopping in his tracks as soon as Virgil started trying to get out of the oversized white and gold jacket. “Is...is this a hypothermia thing? You gotta keep the jacket on, V. You’re—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y-you’re...you’re gonna freeze Pr-Princey.” Virgil’s tongue was heavy, his mouth almost completely numb and teeth chattering relentlessly. “Please, y-you can’t—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re the one who’s soaking wet, Stormcloud,” he argued. “I’m fine. Keep the jacket on, please.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It would have been a lot more convincing if Virgil wasn’t pressed up against him, close enough to feel his violent shivering. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I...I don’t—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ll be ok, Virgil,” Roman said, and Virgil really didn’t like the poorly hidden panic in his voice. “You’re ok. I’ve got your hoodie, Patton’s gonna put it in the dryer while Logan takes care of you, and you’re gonna get warmed up in no time. You’re going to be fine.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>True to his word, Virgil could see the black hoodie draped over Roman’s shoulder, and while the wet cloth probably did nothing to make Roman any more comfortable, some of the dread in Virgil’s chest loosened just a bit. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d had that hoodie since he first appeared to Thomas, and while he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>considering replacing it with the black and purple patchwork one he’d been working on whenever he was alone...it meant more to him than it probably should that Roman hadn’t left it behind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” he said, quiet and weak. And then he promptly remembered that he’d managed to ruin Roman’s entire afternoon by being stupid enough to fall in a lake, and too weak to pull himself up on his own. “I’m...I’m s-so sorry, Roman, I’m s—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, none of that.” Roman tilted his head down, and Virgil was taken aback by how </span>
  <em>
    <span>scared </span>
  </em>
  <span>he looked. “This is my fault, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>brought you out here. I didn’t keep a close enough eye on you, and I wasn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>fast enough—”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Princey—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.” Roman held Virgil closer, eyes on the path before them rather than on the anxious side, which was probably for the best considering what happened last time. “I’m so sorry, Virgil.” </span>
</p>
<p><span>Virgil didn’t understand why</span> <span>Roman was so intent on blaming himself. The Prince had said it himself, he hadn’t even </span><em><span>wanted </span></em><span>to bring Virgil out here. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Spending a day with Roman was something that (he would never admit) meant the world to Virgil. He’d been </span>
  <em>
    <span>excited. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Honestly, his disappointment had only wavered a little bit when Roman revealed that Patton had forced him into this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d been crushed, yes, but it had still been...something. An opportunity to start something new. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As sad as it was, he was just happy to spend time with Roman and hopefully get the Prince to hate him just a little less. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, he’d royally fucked that up. At least Roman was being gentle with him while he was barely conscious enough to form a sentence. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Roman was still talking, soft and aimless, probably trying to distract himself and keep Virgil focused at the same time. But for the life of him, he couldn’t focus on a single word coming out of the Prince’s mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt. </span>
  </em>
  <span>It all hurt so </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad</span>
  </em>
  <span> which was totally unfair considering half his body had gone completely numb from the cold. His ribs protested every shallow breath, the cold agonizing, and Virgil’s non-stop trembling was just making everything twice as bad. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He vaguely remembered Roman had told him he’d had to perform CPR, that his ribs were probably bruised from the compressions, and coughing up half a frozen lake only made it worse. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>apologized, </span>
  </em>
  <span>like it hadn’t saved Virgil’s life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil honestly wasn’t sure why Roman hadn’t just left him. Roman didn’t want Anxiety around, as nice as he’d been forcing himself to be, and it would have been a pretty easy way to get rid of him. No one in their right mind would blame Roman for Virgil drowning due to his own stupidity. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it wasn’t like Virgil had been particularly </span>
  <em>
    <span>pleasant. </span>
  </em>
  <span>All he’d done today was complain and worry all day, effectively ruining Roman’s good time. A horrible, terrified part of his mind had briefly wondered if Roman was drowning him on </span>
  <em>
    <span>purpose. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Roman had rushed in, the dashing hero he always was, strong and brave and </span>
  <em>
    <span>worried-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Virgil? Virgil!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil hadn’t even realized his eyes had closed, head growing fuzzy as he’d lost himself to his spiraling thoughts, jolted back to consciousness by Roman’s sudden rise in volume. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.” Roman had stopped walking, kneeled in the snow and shivering more violently than before, one hand supporting Virgil’s back, the other cupping Virgil’s freezing cheek. “You gotta stay awake, ok? Please, Stormcloud. Don’t fall asleep yet.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil hadn’t even realized how quickly he was slipping until Roman drew attention to it, eyelids so heavy it was a constant fight to keep them open now, the cold around him torturous and heavy, trying to drag him down into the release of sleep. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The constant jostling from Roman trudging through the snow </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He wasn’t sure how much longer he could take it. Roman would get back to the exit faster without a burden to carry, anyway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You can go,” Virgil said, and it was suddenly so much harder to talk than it had been the last time he tried. How long had they been walking? “M’ good here.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you’re not.” Roman sounded panicked, and Virgil couldn’t understand why. Anxiety’s effects shouldn’t reach the other sides outside of his room. “We’re almost there, Virgil. I’m gonna start walking again, ok?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil tried to shake his head, but he could barely move. “You go.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I- what?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s faster,” Virgil slurred, not sure why Roman wasn’t taking the escape and running with it. Patton and Logan would understand. “And you’re cold.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m </span>
  </em>
  <span>cold?” Roman asked, and Virgil didn’t have the energy to flinch at the shout. “If I leave you here you’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>freeze.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So?” Everything hurt so </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he was so </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He didn’t want to keep moving, each one of Roman’s steps just worsening the agony in his ribs. He didn’t want to keep thinking about Roman exhausting himself for someone he didn’t even want to be around in the first place. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil sighed, shuddering and weak, voice barely audible over the howling wind. “Who the fuck cares, Princey?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There wasn’t a response- or if there was maybe it was just drowned out completely by the wind- and Virgil braced himself for the last of his warmth to seep away when Roman stepped back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But instead, Roman’s arms suddenly tightened around him, adjusting their hold to lift Virgil back off the ground and securely against his chest once more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not leaving you,” Roman said, and Virgil wondered if his eyes would freeze shut if he started crying. “I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>leaving you behind. You’re one of us. You’re my </span>
  <em>
    <span>friend, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Virgil.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t give that speech in your room for </span>
  <em>
    <span>fun, </span>
  </em>
  <span>darling,” Roman said, and if Virgil’s body was still capable of producing warmth he was sure it all would have gone to his face. “I meant every word. You make us better- </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>of us. You make...you make </span>
  <em>
    <span>me </span>
  </em>
  <span>better, and the thought of losing you scares me so </span>
  <em>
    <span>much, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Stormcloud. I was so stupid to think we didn’t need you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil took a shaky breath, only able to reach up and weakly clutch at Roman’s wrist with shaking, frozen hands. It felt like the Prince might have quickened his pace, but everything was fading so fast, the stabbing pain in his ribs now more of a background throb, that it was impossible to tell. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you,” Roman said, with such clear certainty, and Virgil forgot how to breathe entirely. “I love you, Virgil. I haven’t been able to admit it and I...gosh, I don’t even know if you can still understand me. You won’t…you won’t remember this, but I do. I really really do love you.”  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, Virgil was delirious. He was pretty sure that meant he was dying. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, there were worse hallucinations to die to. It was better than the insecurities and nightmare that plagued him sometimes, Roman and Patton and Logan looking down on him with disdain and disgust after finding a way to erase him completely, relieved to get rid of Anxiety- of an unwanted nuisance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d lessened since being accepted, but they never really went away. At least they wouldn’t be the last thing he remembered. Not with Roman’s words ringing in his ears, even if they were just a figment of his dying imagination. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Virgil?” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything was so distant now, and Roman’s voice, whether it was real or fake, sounded like it was miles from here, picked up by the wind and carried far away. The numbness was almost peaceful now, finally enough to block out the pain and muddle his brain enough to </span>
  <em>
    <span>almost </span>
  </em>
  <span>forget how cold he was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Virgil knew he was freezing to death. He was still cold and wet and weak and when he closed his eyes there was a pretty good chance he’d never open them again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He should be panicking, fighting to stay awake and begging Roman to get them home faster. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he wasn’t. He let his head fall against Roman’s chest, the Prince's wrist slipping from his hand as his hold went slack. Virgil finally let his eyes close with no reason to fight against it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so glad I got inspiration for this story again, it's so much fun and I definitely plan on finishing it, hopefully with a much shorter wait.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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